Oakland Airport Project Off To Slow Start After FAA Reopens
OAKLAND (KCBS) - Construction of a new air traffic control tower at Oakland International Airport will take some time to resume even after President Barack Obama signed a bill reauthorizing funding for the Federal Aviation Administration.
Some electricians laid off two weeks ago when the FAA was partially shut down wound up taking other work, making them unavailable to rejoin the airport project for at least another week, said Victor Uno of Electrical Workers Union Local 595.
"Project managers are going to have to sit down, meet, discuss and figure out how to get the project going," he said, adding that some journeymen at least could be back within a day or two.
KCBS' Dave Padilla Reports:
The $31 million dollar air tower replacement in Oakland was one of dozens of airport construction projects around the nation halted because of the impasse in Congress over funding the FAA.
The partial FAA shutdown cost the federal government about $400 million in uncollected airline ticket taxes.
About 60 workers from different unions were affected by the work stoppage. Uno said all of them are eager to get back on the job.
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